Dispensing device and mounting plate therefor



March 23, 1954 M, MANETT] 2,673,056

DISPENSING DEVICE AND MOUNTING PLATE THEREFOR Filed Feb. 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor mar-i0 J. manefli March 23, 1954 M. J. MANETTI DISPENSING DEVICE AND MOUNTING PLATE THEREFOR Filed Feb. 18, 1950 2 Shets-Sheet Inventor Mario \I Ihanetii Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING DEVICE AND MOUNTING PLATE THEREFOR Mario J. Manetti,

Chicago, Ill., assignor to Edward G. Gantner, Morton Grove, Ill. Application February 18, 1950, Serial N 0. 145,049

1 Claim.

concerned with novel means for mounting a package of interleaved sheets of dispensable tissues, of a kind commonly known in the trade as Kleenex, in a readily accessible place in a motor vehicle or the like. Known prior devices of this general character have certain structural disadvantages rendering them objectionable under certain conditions of use. To be entirely satisfactory, the dispensing device must be easy to assemble and disassemble by unskilled persons;

must alford simple means for the insertion of a package of sheets and include means to retain said package in place; must not be difficult to mount and, further, must be eificient in operation so as not to become disassembled inadvertently while in use. Such a device must also be ruggedly constructed at minimum cost. It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novelly constructed and assembled dispensing device which overcomes the aforementioned and other objectionable characteristics of prior known devices and embodies all of the aforesaid desirable features.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing device with a novelly constructed holder.

Another object is to provide a dispensing device with a novelly constructed container for a package of interleaved dispensable sheets.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device with novel means to detachably secure its mounting holder to a support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet container with a novel means to slideably and rotatably engage the holder in which it is mounted.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a sheet container with a novel means to wedgedly coact with a package of interleaved sheets to retain it in the container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is constructed from a minimum of easily assembled parts, each of which is fabricated by moulding or stamping to thereby minimize the cost of production.

The foregoing objects, together with additional objects of the invention which will become apparent as the description proceeds, will be better as will fall within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device embodying the features of the present invention, shown in its position of use and mounted upon the interior wall of a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of one of the pair of mounting brackets.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the bracket, taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the dispensing device showing it in closed position.

Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of the dispensing device, showing the container in the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an edge view of a fragmentary por tion of the dispensing device, viewed in the direction of the arrows on line B8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view as viewed along the line 9- of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the container and mounting, taken sub stantially along line I0l0 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is an exploded view showing the holder in transverse section and the dispensing container in end elevation.

The dispensing device disclosed in the accompanying drawings is particularly designed to accommodate a fiat substantially rectangular package of interleaved dispensable sheets or tissues.

as a whole without altering the structural characteristics thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, device is of a kind adapted to be removably mounted upon the inside The device includes a container 2, a holder 3, and a pair of mounting brackets 4. The container consists of a moulded one-piece fiat substantially rectangular box-like structure including a top wallt, a bottom wall 8, and a connecting front wall l and the container is open to provide an entrance opening'i 'through which a package of interleaved dispensable sheets maybe inserted. The interleaved sheets (not shown) are conveniently packaged in a substantially flat, rectangular shape which conforms substantially to-the shape of the interior of the container 2.

It is preferred, but not essential, that the top and bottom walls and i5 respectively, of the container converge slightly toward each other as they approach the front wall. Thisis perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 11. It should be understood, however, that the top and bottom walls may be substantially parallel on their outside surfaces; or that they may be otherwise formed,

asbyoflsetting, to provide areduced inside'thickness adjacent the front wall l. Converging of the top and bottom walls of the container,- or otherwise restricting the front interior height thereof, is provided so that when a package of interleaved sheets is inserted through the open back, the-front portion of the package is wedged firmly between the forward areas of the walls 5 and E5 and thereby prevents inadvertent withdrawal of thepackage The container 2 mayinclude additional means to positively prevent withdrawal oi a package of interleaved sheets therefrom. Uponreferring to Figs. 1, 2 and 8, it will be observed that the open back of the containeris provided with a removable keeper 9. This keeper preferably is fashioned fromcellulose sheet material shaped in the form of a U which includes a head portion ill and legs H. The free ends of the legs are provided with pairs of spaced protuberances E2 on their outside edges. The top wall- 5 and bottom wall 6 of the container have registering slots l3 located closely adjacent to their free back edges and spaced between the ends thereof. These slots are adapted to receive the keeper 9 after a package of interleaved sheets has been placed within the container. When the keeper is inser'ted through the slots is, the pr'ctuberances l2 on said keeper engage ov'er the end margins of one ofsaid slots to lock it in place; The keeper may, however, be removed readily, upon manual engagement and contraction or the legs ii.

The container 2 is adapted to be detachably mounted forpivotal: movement into a plurality of'positions in the mounting holder 3.- Accordi'n'gly, novel means to be presently described in detail isformed on each container end wall 8 for co-operat'ive association with novel means formed on the holder The holder 3 is best shown in l and it preferably is formed of plastic material suitably molded to provide a substantially rectangular back wall i and end walls is perpendicular thereto, which walls project forwardly from said back wall I l Forwardly extending marginal flanges l6 and I! are formed on the longitudinal edges of the back wall to reinforce said wall and for purposes to be described presently. Each end wall is substantially rectangular and, as is best shown in Fig. ll, each wall has a stud i8 formedon its inside face adjacent the upper end thereof.

An end extension is is formed integral with the lower end of'ea'c'h side wall 15. These extenend walls t. The back of holder 3 in place on sions depend below the bottom edge of the back wall l4 and are offset forwardly therefrom to define shoulders 20. A stud H is formed integral with and on the inside face of the extension l9. These studs are in vertical alignment one with each stud It. A transverse groove 22 is formed in the inside face of each side wall it between the aligned studs l8 and 2%. Each groove extends inwardly from the front edge of its respective side wall and terminates in substantial alignment with the longitudinal flange ll of the back wall [4; It will be observed that the grooves '52 open upon the shoulders 20 rearwardly of the back edges of the end extensions iii. The studs ili and hl and the grooves 22 formed in each side wall Mere adapted to coact with complemental means on the container 2, to be described presently, when the latter is mounted in the holder.

Theholder 3 is intended to be mounted in the substantially vertical position best illustrated in Fig. 1. For this purpose it provided with the brackets l, each of which is-lfabrica-ted from sheet stock. Upon referring to' l igs. 3 and a it will be noted that eachbracket 4 consists of a strap-like body 2.3 having aholeil l adjacent one end; To mount the bracket on the holder, the hole 2 4 is placed in register with a bayonet-type of opening 2! in the holder wall it. A tongue Qdisformed in the body 23 contiguous withthe ho1e24 and this tongue is extended through the bayonet opening 25 and is bent over against the front-surface of the back wall is in the manner best shown in Fig. 3. A bolt El passed through the registered holes l and 2d and a nutll' is threaded thereon to secure the bracket in place. Substantially vertical alignment of the brac ets it is insured by the hole engagington'gue if preferred, the bracket d have parallel ribs 28' stuck therein to increase the rigidity thereof. The upper or projecting end portion of the bracket 4' is provided with stuck out opposed protuberances 2'9 which define transverse opposed shoulders 3i on the front surface of the bracket d. The brackets ll constitute means for detachably securing the the wall of a vehicle.

In the present disclosure, the holder is mounted on the inside face of" a door or window panel. Such panels customarily are provided with a trim 32', the flange of which extends downwardly from the margin of the window opening and! has an inwardly turned edge flange 'or head 33; As shown in Fig. 2', the shouldered ends of the'pa'ir of brackets 4' are inserted beneath the flanged edge 33 of the trim 32 a distance sufficient to locate the flange 33" between the opposed shoulders 3!. In this manner the brackets, and consequently the holder 3, are firmly but detachably secured in a vertical position on a support. It should be understood, however, that the brackets 4 may be engaged with other supporting elements than the trim 32 and that, for certain installations, the brackets 4' may be omitted and the holder 3 can be secured to a' supporting surface by passing screws through the holes 25-.

It has been indicated previously that the end walls 8 ofthe package container 2 have means to c'o'a'ct' with the studs l3 and Bi and groove 22 of the holder side walls i5 for'mou-nting the container in the holder. Accordingly, each end wall 8' of the container is formed with a substantially long longitudinal channel 34' which opens onto the front end of the container and terminates short of the back end" of said container. A second channel 35, also provided in said endwall 8, opens on the back edge of the end wall and,

it is in longitudinal alignment with the channel 34. Its closed inner end is formed to provide a semi-circular bearing surface 36.

A pair of shouldered lugs 37 is provided one on each of the container end walls 8 closely adjacent to the juncture between the end walls and the container top wall. The lugs 31 are of sufficient length to extend into the grooves 22 during mounting or demounting of the container.

In order to mount the container 2 on the holder 3, the container is initially held in the vertical position illustrated in Fig. 11. When in this position it is substantially parallel to the plane of the holder 3. The container then is moved transversely in the direction of the holder 3 so as to cause the lugs 31 to enter and move along the grooves 22. When the lugs 31 reach the rear closed end of the grooves 22, further transverse movement of the container is prevented. Just prior to said container reaching the maximum limit of its transverse movement, the stud It on the holder side wall I5 is moved into the longitudinal channel 34 through an entrance channel 38 in communication therewith. It may be observed at this time that the stud I8 is substantially semi-spherical in shape.

When the container is positioned in the holder in the manner just described, it assumes the broken line position illustrated in Fig. 7. The

container then is moved downwardly relatively v to the holder so as to cause the stud 2| to enter the channel 35. Downward movement of the container is limited when the stud 2| abuts the bearing surface 36 of channel 35. During movement of the container downwardly from the broken line position shown in Fig. 7 to the full line position shown in that figure, the lugs 3! are carried downwardly out of the respective grooves 22 and into position behind the back edges 39 of the end extensions I9. The mounted container is now in what might be termed its closed position.

In order to obtain access to the contents of the container, the container must be manually engaged and rotated about the studs 2| in a clockwise direction from its substantially vertical closed position into the substantially horizontal open position shown in Fig. 1. When in this position one or more of the interleaved sheets in the package contained therein may be engaged and withdrawn through a slot 4| in the container top wall 5. Pivotal movement of the container may be facilitated by providing a finger engaging element 42 on the front wall 1.

When the container is in its vertical or closed position, it is held against inadvertent pivotal movement by the engagement of studs l8 in channels 34. When it is moved into its open or horizontal position, the studs l8 snap out of the channels 34 readily owing to the inherent resiliency of the holder side walls l5. Inadvertent upward or outward movement of the container 2, while it is in horizontal or vertical positions, is eifectively prevented by the lugs 31. Accordingly, when the container is in its horizontal or open position, the lugs 31 are located behind the depending end wall extensions l9. When the container is in its vertical. or closed position, said container cannot be disconnected from the holder by being withdrawn upwardly because the shouldered lugs will strike against the top wall of the grooves 22.

Although the foregoing description is concerned with the specific structure of the device disclosed for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the detailed structure, size and shape may be varied within the limits of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

In combination, a dispensing container for a package of interleaved sheets and a holder for the container, said container including end walls, said end walls each having a pair of vertically aligned channels on their outside faces one extending inwardly from each end of said end walls the upper channel of each pair being longer than the lower channel of each pair, and each end wall having a third channel perpendicular to and communicating with the longer one of the aligned channels therein, parallel side walls on the holder perpendicular to and on the same side of a connecting wall thereof, said side walls being spaced to receive the container therebetween, and a pair of studs vertically aligned and spaced on the inside face of each side wall, one stud of each pair being located to enter the longer of the aligned end wall channels through the perpendicular channel when the container is shifted in one direction during assembly, and the other stud of each pair being engageable in the related other aligned end wall channels when the container is shifted in a direction perpendicular to the initial direction of shifting.

MARIO J. MANET'II.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,237,281 Behringer Aug. 21, 1917 1,621,536 I-Iandte Mar. .22, 1927 2,148,557 Hook Feb. 28, 1939 2,263,956 Russell Nov. 25, 1941 2,395,592 Tierney Feb. 26, 1946 2,433,587 Wentworth Dec. 30, 1947 2,490,426 Gerdeman Dec. 6, 1949 2,492,769 Snell Dec. 27, 1949 2,504,515 Gantner et a1 Apr. 18, 1950 2,534,742 Tierney Dec. 19, 1950 2,537,050 Gluck Jan. 9, 1951 2,537,741 Clark Jan. 9, 1951 

